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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 






BUSINESS AND DIVERSION 



V A V DISCOURSE 



AT 



AMMAUSKEEG- FALLS 



■ • ■ 



. BY 






(d Rev. JOSEPH SKCOMBE 



AA ++ AA ++ AA -H- AA FISHING SEASON 

VV -H- VV ++ VV ++ VV 17 39 



REPRINT, 1892. 



Historical Shetclv of the Sermon. 



The first printed sermon preached within the limits of what is now 
Manchester, N. H., was at " Ammuskeeg-Falls, in the Fishing Season, 
1739," by Rev. Joseph Secombe, of Kingston, N. H., a gentleman of 
good attainments, eccentric habits, and extremely fond of fishing. It 
was his custom annually, with other gentlemen, to visit the Falls for 
recreation and diversion. At such times he preached on Sunday to 
the natives and others settlers and visitors. One of his sermons was 
printed in Boston in 1743, and dedicated to the " Honourable Theo- 
dore Atkinson, Esq./' of Portsmouth-, N. H., who was one of his 
hearers. Copies of the printed discourse have become very scarce, 
only five perfect ones being known to exist. It has been thought ad- 
visable to reprint the same that it may be preserved \ hence seventy- 
five copies have been put into covers for circulation in libraries and 
among friends to preserve it from oblivion. v With the exception of 
the modern s for the former long f, the same appears verbatim, literatim, 
et punctatim. The quotation on its title-page contains the name 
" Moniack," of which Potter's " History of Manchester," says : 

" Moniack, one of the names applied to the Merrimack by the 
Indians, from the fact that it contained a great many islands. The 
literal meaning of Moniack is ' Island-place ' — it being a compound 
word from the Indian nouns Mona (island) and Auke (place)," (p. 721). 

" Namaoskeag,' or as called by the English, and now written, 
Amoskeag, has been a noted place for centuries. The terminals oog, 
00k, and uk, written by the English auke, or 00k, were used by the 
Indians to represent a place or spot of land or water ; and eag, eeg, and 
eek, written by the English eag, eke, and ic, were the terminals used by 
the Indians, to represent long or extended places of water. Thus 
Namaos means a. fish, and compounded with eag, with the k thrown in 
for the sake of sound, becomes the Indian derivative noun, JVamaos- 
keag, a long and continued place of water for fish, and was doubtless ap. 
plied by the Indians to that part of the Merrimack river consisting of 
falls, rapids, and ripples, extending from the Skowhegan in Merrimack, 
to Turkey Falls in Concord. . . But as the country became 
settled, and fish scarce, the ' Namaoskeag ' became limited to the 
rapids in the immediate vicinity of * Namoaskeag ' falls, (pp. 638-639." 

The word has many variations in orthography, among them being, 
Namoaskeag, Naamkeake, Namaske, Naumkeag, Naimkeak, and sev- 
eral others. (See Potter's "Farmers' Monthly Visitor, 1852-1853.) 



Business and Diversion 

inoffensive to God, and necessary for the Comfort and Support of 

human Society. 



DISCOUESE 

utter'd in Part 
AT 

Ammaiiskeeg -Falls, 

IN TH E 



Fishing-Season. ^t^Jtrr 



1 7 3 9- 

§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§ 

Deep in the Vale old Moniack rolls his Tides, 
Romantick Prospects crown his reverend Sides ; 
And thro' wild Grotts, and pendent Woods he strays, 
And ravish'd at the Sight, his Course delays. 
Silent and calm — now with impetuous shock 
Pours his swift Torrent down upon the steepy Rock ; 
The tumbling Waves thro airy Channels flow, 
And loudly roaring, smoke and foam below. 1. W. 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 

Boston, Printed for S. Kneeland and T. Green in Queen-Street. 

Mdccxliii. 



To the Honorable 

Tlxeodore JLtkiixsorz, J£sq; 

And Others BXT&3. 

The Worthy Patrons of the Fishing 

AMMAUSKEEG. 

Gentlemen, 

It's not to signify to others that I pretend to an Intimacy with you 
or that I ever had a Share in those pleasant Diversions, which you 
have innocently indulged yourselves in, at the Place where I have 
taken an annual Tour for some Years past. Yet I doubt not that 
you'l Patronize my Intention, which is to sence against Bigottry and 
Superstition. All Excess I disclaim, but pretend to be a Favourer 
of Religion, and of Labour as an Ingredient, and of Recreation as 
a necessary Attendant. 

I believe the Gentlemen who moved me to preach there in some 
odd Circumstances, and those at whose Desire and Charge this Dis- 
course is Printed, (asking their Pardon if my Suggestion appear to 
them ungrounded) were moved more from the uncommonness of the 
Thing, than any Thing singular in it. I have put off the Importu- 
nity for near these three years ; but least it should be, that I fear, 
it's being seen by the World, I submit it to sight and Censure. 

So little as I know you, Gentlemen, I heartily present it to you ; 
tho' all the Reason that I intend to offer is, we have fished upon 
the same Banks : And tho' I know this will be no Bait, I am fond 
of being esteemed, in the Affairs of Fishing, 

Gentlemen, 

your most Obedient 

and very humble Servant. 

Fluviatulis Piscator. 

[Reprinted May, 1892, at Manchester, N. H., verbatim, literatim, et punctatim.] 



^ 



( 3 ) 



o /o 






Business and Diversion 



:=- ; " inoffensive to GOD. 

- £ 

i 

J 

JOHN XXI. iii. 

" Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a Fishing." 

CTPvO 0^ c TQ 'Tisanoddand vicious Conceit of the Supersti- 
, tious, who in Popish Countries are called the Relig- 
M \ ious ; that a solitary Sequestration from the social 

[ Affairs and Duties of Life, afford a mighty Advan- 
(P $ tage to Religion ; For this is contrary to the Design 

^ of the Creator in the Make and Constitution of Man ; 
L •G >0-,C/ ^0 opposite to the Providence and Precepts of God and 
the Examples of holy Men recorded in sacred History. The Instance 
in our Text shows that Business, * or I think Diversion in proper Por- 
tions of Time, and other suitable Circumstances, are not hurtful, but 
very friendly to Religion. 

The Apostles were constituted Fishers of Men, to allure and draw 
Souls to Christ, from a Pit of Sin and Misery, to an Ocean of Piety 

* For their stated Business, was to preach the Gospel ; tho' Fish- 
ing had been their Employment. 



4 BUSINESS AND DIVERSION 

and Pleasure. . , . . An high and really religious Employment ! And 
our Lord gave them a Vacancy, with Restriction, but tarry ye at Jerusa- 
lem. They had been commissioned long before, \_Matth. x. 17 and Luke 
ix. ] but before they were to enter upon their Enterprize, in which he 
should be coporally absent, they have a Leisure refreshing Season. 
To what should they in Reason have devoted this Intermission, but 
Fasting and Mourning, fcr now the Bridegroom was not always with 
them ? Why, Obedience is better than Sacrifice, and to hearken, than the 
Fat of Rams, 1 Sam. xv. 22. He who best knew the Nature of Man, 
before he was to send Men upon extraordinary Business, would give 
them Leisure ; nor was this Space confined wholly to Devotion. 
Some of it, we find, was spent in Business or Diversion. Certainly 
these Saints were as sincerely and piously affected to God, as the 
superstitious Biggots to Popery can, with any Shew of Modesty, pre- 
tend to be ; yet they divert themselves in so suitable a Season, and 
our Lord not only appoints the Leisure, but supports them in it ; by 
giving them a lucky Draught of Fishes. This sacred Story leads me 
to think, 

I. In the general, that the common Enterprizes of Life are not in- 
consistent with Piety towards God : But that infinite Holiness may be 
pleased with them. And in particular, that 

II. Fishing is innocent as Business or Diversion. 

Some think it strange that I give myself the Trouble to illustrate 
these Things, which, to them appear level to the lowest Capacity. 

But all Men are not of the same Cast or constitution. A Proposition 
which is easy and evident to one, may be as doubtful and difficult 
to another ; and its no uncommon Case, for Men who have no 
higher End in their Employments, and have been unseasonable, un- 
guarded and irregular in their Diversions, and have no higher End 
than Self, if they are convinced of their Idolatry and Carnality, to ex- 
claim against the world ! Then, when they most of all need to be 
diligent in some good Employment, Diligence is termed Worldly- 
mindedness ; seasonably and temperately to recreate themselves, is 
carnal Pleasure. These Difficulties require no great depth of Tho't, 
nor a Multitude of Words for their Solution. 

We may in an easy and natural Manner, consider that Religion is 
all of a Piece, and one Duty does not destroy another. That Business 
and Diversion, in their proper Place and Time, determined from a 
good Principle, and performed piously and prudently ; are so far from 
being offensive, that they are a necessary Branch of our holy Religion. 

Let us then in the general consider, Whether the common Enterprizes 
of human Life, be consistent with practical Piety. 

Here we must tell what we mean, by the common Enterprizes of 



INOFFENSIVE TO GOD. 

Life. And we renounce all unjust and dishonest Methods of obtain- 
ing the Riches, Honours, and Pleasures of the World : And all un- 
lawful Games, and those which are lawful, when they are unsuitably 
and irregularly managed. 

We consider Business or Diversions, as human Understandings. By 
Business, we mean our stated Exercises, or that which we ought to 
employ most of our Time in, and most of our Thoughts about. Diver- 
sion is the turning aside from Business, in some proper Period, to re- 
fresh ourselves, and fit us for a more cheerful and lively Discharge of 
Duty. Now, if it should be made evident, that these are Parts of our 
Duty to God, I suppose they must be consistent with real Religion. 
And this will appear, if we consider, That God is an active Being, and 
proposes himself as our Pattern. It's not only contrary to Scripture, 
and deep thinking, but common Sense, to suppose the great Creator 
and Governour of all Worlds, idle and inactive. Every one conceives 
something of his Operation, as the Over-ruler of Human Affairs, or 
Author, of all Things. And if God be Agent, he expects those to be 
such who are capable of acting : And as he is perfect, and must act 
in a most excellent Manner, according to his own Nature, he must ex- 
pect and require his Creatures to act according to the Power with 
which he has endowed them. And as he has endowed Man with a 
Capacity of knowing something of r im, he must design his imitating 
of him in his Measure and Degree. In this the image of God in Man 
consists. And we are to imitate him in Labour and Rest, as well as 
in other Respects. This will be clear to you, if you recollect the 

Fourth Commandment : Six Days shalt thou Labour, for in six 

the Lord made and rested on the seventh, &c. 

Indeed, no Man was made for Time, but Time for him : And as 
God uses Eternity for his own Glory, according to his infinite Wisdom 
and Power ; so he expects Man should spend his Time, according 10 
his Capacity 

Man's Capacity is the Measure of his Duty, and the Nature of Man 
requires Rest and Labour, and a prudent Interchange and Succession 
of each. We were not obliged to do, in our Original, those Things 
which our Species were not capable of performing : Bnt the Limita- 
tion of Nature was a Bound by the Deity, So far shalt thou come, and 
no farther. The Stretch of a human Mind, and the Strength of Man's 
Body, is limited by the supream Disposer of all Things. And the 
same Being, in limiting our Capacity, makes out our Duty, by our 
Make and Frame, and casual Circumstances in the Course of his Di- 
vine Providence, he shews a wise Man what he ought to do, and what 
to avoid, and how he should direct, guide, and govern himself or others, 
No mere Man ever could, nor will any Man that has the Government 
of himself, pretend to keep up an uninterrupted Series of idelness and 



b BUSINESS AND DIVERSION 

Indolence, of Labour or Devotion ; for Experience must soon con- 
vince then that Man's Nature is formed for Variety: He is a change- 
able Creature, and is supported by Change. So Man at first was put 
into the Garden of Pleasure, not only to serve his Maker, in his De- 
votions, and delight himself by his Sensations, but to dress it and to 
keep it : For in his primitive Make he needed those Changes. And 
we need them much more in our lapsed State : As all the Works of 
God, in Nature and Revelation, manifestly declare. Let those who 
would form to their Imagination, a beautiful Description of the Origi- 
nal of the World, read Dr. Burnet: But I must confine myself to 
Scripture, and the common Current or our Experience, in the present 
State of Things ; and as to that original State of the World, you will 
excuse me me if I say little about it, because we have little to do with 
it. But if we gaze upon Nature, in it's present Situation, we shall 
find, that every Thing calls for a prudent Alloy of Labour and Diver- 
sion : [Tho' I must rejoin, because I would not be wanting in Cau- 
tion, by Labour, 1 would be understood to mean, our Actions in our 
particular Callings ; and by our Diversions, our turning aside from 
them, whether in the prescribed scriptural or rational Acknowledge- 
ments of the Deity, or our innocent unbending the Bow in those law- 
ful Amusements, which are more commonly called Diversions. The 
Reason of my thus speaking is on the Account of the divine Diversion. 

Six Days shalt thou Labour. But on the Seventh God who 

best knew our Capacities, has delineated our Buisness [or that which 
we are Statedly to employ most of our Time in, for that I call, must 
call so]. God confirms the Division both by Precept and Example : 
And if we throw off Superstition and allow ourselves to think freely 
we shall be confirmed that Business is Part of our Religion.] To re- 
turn then : Let us consider the Universe in its present State and Sit- 
uation. All the heavenly Bodies keep" their Course, [but their Orbits 
are more or less Excentnc]. The rising Sun calls Man forth to his 
Business. The Sun withdraws, and lengthning Shades forewarn us of 
the rising Damp, and unhealthy Vapour ; and bid us retire for Rest 
and Shelter. Yet if something uncommon calls us longer abroad, the 
Moon and Stars will lend a little of their borrowed Light ; but amphibi- 
ous Creatures, Birds and Beasts of Prey, oft check our Improvidence 
or Negligence. The Sun gives us our longest Days when the Earth 
requires most of our Labour, and when she refuses Produce, he short- 
ens our Hours of Business. 

So the vast Collection of Waters sometimes heaves in its briny 
Billow, swells every Bay, and rushes with Joy tho' every Channel ; as 
from an Engine played by the Almighty Arm ; then sinks into her 
deep Caverns, leaves Room for the Return of the rapid Rivers ; with 
vast Additions from in-land Oceans. 

The Winds also take their turns for Labour and Rest. The labori- 



INOFFENSIVE TO GOD. ' i 

ous East sends gently in the vast Magazines of floating Wealth, to the 
favorite Sons of Fortune ; while he is gathering up the scattering 
Clouds, which he shoves in upon the craving Land, and generously 
pours down a more universal Blessing : and retires, when the brisk 
West opens a Glene, scatters the broken Cloud, and sweeps up the 
redundant Moisture. * * * 

So the Earth here raises a rocky Mountain with a frowning Front ; 
and levels there a pleasant Plain ; here sinks a rushy Fen, there raises a 
fertile Field : Here the struggling Streams rush down a rapid River, 
there the easy Waters lye still and move not .... But what in Nature 
does not ? Every Thing calls for Labour, and Labour requires rest. 

These uncultivated Lauds call for hard Labour, but some other 
Circumstances admit of Diversion ; for this the half-tam'd Deer graze 
your Plains,and the rough Bear infest domestick Folds. The ingenious 
Dr. Woodward has shown what convulsions there were at the Time 
of the Deluge, and how Sterile the Earth is made by that awful Event ; 
and this to make us Labour, because our sinful Propensity required it.* 

But we are social Creatures ; and the Cord of Society is strengthened 
by Industry. In this defective State, great Diligence is necessary in 
Education, in Purging out Prejudices, Infusing Principles and Max- 
ims of Wisdom ; and acquiring Habits of just Reasoning, and Pru- 
dent Determining in every Occurrence. It's needful that some should 
make a business of Teaching; and the Labour of others must support 
such in their Labour. 

Government is necessary to our good Order ; to secure our Lives, 
Property and Peace : And those who are by divine Providence, set 
in Authority over us, should be esteemed and honoured ; that they 
may be so, they should be set above Contempt, by a generous Sup- 

* Speaking of the old World, he says that after the Fall of Man, 
" These exuberant Productious of the Earth became a continual 
Decay and Snare to him, they only excited and fomented his 
Lusts, and ministered Fuel to his Vices and Luxury, and the 
Earth requiring little or no Tillage, there was little Occasion for 
Labour, so that almost the whole Time lay upon his hand, and 
gave him Leisure to contrive ; and full Swing to persue his Fol- 
lies ; and the Pravity of humane Nature was ..... The Pravity 

of humane Nature is not, I fear, less yet than it was then 

And to remove the Temptation and Cause of the Sin, he brought 
this Change, by mingling and confounding its first constituent 

Principles That by this Means a great Part of their Time 

might be taken up, &c. 

See his natural History, Ed. ist. Pag. 89, to 114. 



8 BUSINESS AND DIVERSION 

port from the Society whom they serve : which it never can do unless 
Industrious. 

Seeing we are to consider God, not only as Creator of Man, but as 
the Founder of Society, and it must follow that a social Homage is his 
Due ; and this Homage must be paid in the best, the most regular 
and rational manner : It appears by the Light of Nature, and Suf- 
frage of all Nations, that there should be some Persons stated and ap- 
pointed to lead Societies in their Devotions ; to keep the Knowledge 
of God, and our Duty to him, clear from all Confusions and unworthy 
Conceptions, and to excite religious Sentiments ; &c. This requires 
the Labour and Study of such Persons, and the Labour of others to 
support them. So that unless we would have Ignorance and Irreligion, 
and all Manner of Miseries and Mischiefs infest Mankind, we must 
labour : and as God is the Author of the Species, and Founder of our 
State, this Industry should be practised with a View to his Glory, as 
Part of our holy Religion. 

This Thought includes Piety, Justice and Charity. We must be 
diligent in some lawful Calling, because God requires it, as mere 
Reason shews, so doth the Scriptures. 

Those who will take no Method for their own Support, rob Society, 
or murder themselves. If a Man provide not for himself he either 
starves or pillages his Neighbour : I can call it nothing less than 
Robbery, if he could by any lawful Business, have supported himself ; 
for he is as really a Villain, who, without my knowing it, picks my 
Pocket, as he who says, Stand and Deliver ! And whatever I am 
obliged by Authority to pay towards the Support of Religion, Govern- 
ment, and the Poor, more than I should or ought to have done, if my 
Neighbour had been industrious, they really rob me of ; for I have so 

much less of Estate thro' their Negligence The Equity of that 

Precept is clear, He that luill not work, neither let him eat. And it's as 
evidently just, he that will not labour to support Government, forfeits 
it's Protection and Favour. 

The Man who will not labour, often thinks himself forced to lie long 
in this Neighbor's Debt ; which is a great Piece of Injustice to his Neigh- 
bour and to Society : Seeing if his industrious Neighbour had his 
Money in his Hand, he would have turn'd it to the Increase of his 
Estate, and Emolument of the Community. It's thro' Idleness that 
Men have little to dispose of, and are tempted to ask such exorbitant 
Prices for their Wares. 

The Original of Communities, are Families. In these are weak and 
feeble Members, who need Labour for their Support : And that Man 



INOFFENSIVE TO GOD. V 

is not only unjust, but barbarous and cruel, who neglects them.* 
He that provideth not for his own, especially for those of his own House, 
hath denied the Faith, and is worse than an Infidel. 

We ought to labour from a Principle of Charity, That ive may have 

to give to him that needeth.j The Poor ye have with you always. % 

If the Poor perish thro' your Want, when you might have had it to 
give ; it's as much thro' your Neglect, as if you had it, and refused to 
help and relieve them. 

Indeed the most kind and prudent Way of relieving the Poor, is by 
setting them to work, if they are able. For hereby you give them 
Courage, cause them to be prudent and frugal ; and prevent much Sin. 
It does not put them to so much Pain, to ask for that for which they 
have laboured : And what they earn hardly, they will not be so likely 
to spend idly. While they have Employ, they may be kept from mak- 
ing Mischief among Neighbors, from wandering about from House to 
House as Busy -Bodies. § 

If ye shall fulfill the royal Law, according to the Scriptures thou 

shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self, U e shall do well. If a Brother or a 
Sister be naked, or destitute of daily Food, and one of you say to them, 
Depart in Peace, be you warmed and filled, notwithstanding you give them 
not of those things that are needful to the Body. What doth it ? But can 
common Christians feed their Neighbours with anything better than 
fair Words unless they be diligent in their Business. 

* There has been long and tedious Disputes about a Medium 
of Trade, and a sad Complaint about the constant Falling of 
Money : While the Prices of the Produce of the Country are un- 
der no Regulation by Law : Every one almost will make it a 
Rule, to sell as dear as he can : And if they ask an Angel this 
Year, for that which might have been purchased with a Crown 
last, an Angel is worth no more now than a Crown was then ; 
and Money must continue Falling. It's worthy the Tho't of con- 
siderate Man, whether a want of Labourers be not at the Bottom 
of all this. If Men don't labour, they vainly complain of hard 
Times, and Scarcity of Money ; for they have nothing to procure it. 

f Eph. iv. 28. % Matth. xxvi. 11. 

§ In the best regulated Communities, they keep all employ'd 
young and old, strong and weak ■ those who are strong to more 
onerous Service, and the more feeble to that which is less bur- 
thensome, &c. See Sir Will. Temple 0/" Holland and Busbeg ; 
Juci Epist. Richelieu's Pol. Will. Chap. IX. Sect. vi. 



10 BUSINESS AND DIVERSION 

Quest. These are evident, you may say, but hoiu do they reach the Rich ? 

The Rich are of the same Nature as the Poor, and stand in as near 
Relation to God and Society as they : And in these Respects, have 
as much need of Business. Tho' Men have ever so much Wealth, 
they should consider that Idleness and Inactivity rusts and depraves 
the Mind, and renders it unfit for the Service of God or Men. It 
either distempers the Brain with Melancholly, or fills the Body with 
ill Humours, and the Mind with vicious Inclinations ; and either of 

them give Satan great advantage against us. Besides we are 

to consider Wealth as a Talent given us by God to improve, therefore 
the more any Man has^ the more he has to turn to advantage, which 
must proportionally encrease Care and enlarge the Sphere of Action. 
He that sinks his Estate thro' Indolence robs the Publick, for he cant 
do so much for the Commonwealth. And if he only keeps the Princi- 
pal, and endeavours to make no Interest, he is an unprofitable Servant 
to God who intrusts him, and to the Society who protects him. 

If we are to be Followers of God as dear Children ; 
Reflection, if God is an Agent ; if we are to imitate him in labour- 
ing six P. rts in seven of our Time ; if the human Con- 
stitution in its Original requires Change of Labour and Rest; if this is 
the State of all Nature ; if Piety to God, and Justice and Charity to 
Men require Lahour ; and Business cannot be perform'd to Advan- 
tage without some seasonable prudent and regular Diversion : How 
wild and superstitious are those who would drive Persons into Monas- 
teries and Nunneries, under the Notion of their spending their whole 
Time in Devotion ? And how much better is it for Persons who 
are deeply in Debt, or dependent on Charity for their daily Support, 
to run about under the Notion of dealing with their Neighbours in 
some pretended Case of Conscience, prating about Things which they 
understand not ; then study to be quiet and do their own Business ! 

Extraordinary Religion is the most exact Transcript of the commu- 
nicable Attributes of God ; and the nearest Imitation of the divine 
Being, as far as the Dictates and Limits of Nature, and the Rules of 

his holy Word They who are wise above what is written, will 

soon discover their Folly : For when Superstition has overwhelmed 
a Man's Brain, like a Child with the Rickets, his Head grows too big 
for his Body, and the distempered Creature soon dwindles away to 
nothing. For men in vain plead for such Devotion as robs Society, 

such as defrauds Mankind He that loves not his Brother 

whom he hath see?i, how shall he love God whom he hath not seen. 

Weak Persons are apt to say, Can we do too much for God ? Can 
we spend too much Time in Religion ? No, you cannot. But you 
may disobey God, when you think you obey him. You may do what 



INOFFENSIVE TO GOD. 11 

he forbids, when you think you do what he requires. You may be 
idolatrous, when you think you are mighty devout. Why, your Ances- 
tors tho't this might be ; Why else did they reject the exorbitant 
Number of popish Fast and Festivals, &c. ? In one Century you 
seem to have forgot your Errand to America. And what do you think 
of those Israelites, who sacrificed their Children, &c. Do you think 
that they could do too much for God ? Could they do any more than 
to give their First-born of their Bodies for the Sin of their Souls ? 
Who could blame them, if none can do too much [in the ccmmon 
Sense] ? If a Man were to murder his Father or Mother, his Wife or 
Children, or himself, under the Notion of being extraordinary relig- 
ious, and should say, who can do too much for God, would ycu not 
think the poor Creature were delirious ? Why, He that loves not his 
brother is a Murderer \ Many make a great Talk of Matters of P'aith, 
or rather of Opinion, and will go prating from Place to Place,* and 
take little or no Care of their Families ; they are mighty religious, but 
if it were possible they would not pay a Farthing fo the Support of 
the Government, (by which our Lives are preserved) or of Religion, 
or for the Education of their Children. They like Holidays extreamly, 
and might be glad if every Day were such ; but can, with a good Con- 
science, lie in Debt from Year to Year. It's an easy Matter to pray, 
and read, and talk devoutly ; but to work is hard, 'tis tedious to the 
poor Carcass, a Weariness to the Flesh ! It's an easy Matter to run 
down your industrious Neighbour as a worldly Man, but have you 
paid him that which you owed him ? Is not he forced, in great Part, 
to support your Family ? 

1 wish Men would know what Religion is in the Whole, and not set 
the several Parts of it at Variance, and make one Branch militate with 
another. Let us love God with all onr Hearts, and at the same Time 
remember that we are to love our Neighbour as ourselves. 

Let us meditate on and long after Heaven ; but know at the same 
Time, that our Way thither is thro' the Earth : That the Soul is in- 
finitely the superior Part, but if we murder the Body, the Soul must 
eternally be damned. Let us be frequent at Church, yet not forget 
that we have something to do at Home, Let's be serious and steady 

* I wish there were not too much Reason for Complaint in 
this Regard, at this Day. I have often been surprized, not only 
at the prophane Railing against Lectures, but at the Absurdity 
and Folly of many, who had hardly a Morsel of Meat to put into 
their Mouths, and their Children near famishing, and all their 
Business ruining, en Account of their violent and furious ram- 
bling here and there, on the Notion of some religious Errand ; 
as if God would call them to a Fraud and Barbarity, which, the 
Apostle tells us, is worse than Infidelity, I Tim. 5, 8. 



12 BUSINESS AND DIVERSION 

in our Devotions, and likewise diligently follow our Business. In 
short, Let every Command have its proper Weight with us, every Duty 
it's Proportion of our Time and Tho'ts. 

Business and Diversion, in the general, may be allowed as innocent 
and necessary. But some Enterprizes which wear that Name may be 
scrupled. We may therefore enquire in particular, 

II. Whether Fishing is lawful as Business or Diversion. 
Not only those called Religious, among the Turks and Persians, 
and the Benja?is, &c. have scrupled eating of Flesh or Fish, but some 
among ourselves, fear whether we ought to take away the Lives of 
Creatures for our own Support ; and are positive that we should not 
for Diversion. Many have a great Aversion to those whose Trade it 
is to take away the Lives of the lower Species of Creatures. A Butch- 
er is (in their Apprehension) a mere Monster, and a Fisherman, a 
filthy Wretch. 

It's an ancient Observation, that a merciful Man is merciful to his 
Beast. The righteous Man regards the Life of his Beast, Prov xii. to. 
Where any have long used any Creature, the Tho't of it's Service, and 
some sort of Regard contracted to it thereby, is not easily conquered. 
But a noble generous Soul hates Barbarity to foreign as well as do- 
mestick Creatures. 

" It's not certain [says my Lord Beacon] that the worthier any Soul 
" is, the larger is it's Compassion. For contracted degenerate Minds 
" imagine that those Things belong not to them : But the Mind that 
" looks upon itself as a nobler Portion of the Universe, is kindly affect- 

" ed towards inferiour Creatures " 

He that takes Pleasure in the Pains and dying Agonies of the lower 
Species of Creatures, is either a stupid sordid Soul, or a Murderer in 

Heart He that delighteth to see a Brute die, would soon take 

great Pleasure in the Death of a Man. 

But here, in Fishing, we are so far from delighting to see our Fel- 
low-Creature die, that we hardly think whether they live We 

have no more of a murderous Tho't in taking them, than in cutting up 
a Mess of Herbage. We are taking something, which God, the Crea- 
tor and Proprietor of all, has given us to use for Food, as freely as the 
green Herb. Gen. ix. 2, 3. 

He allows the eating them, therefore the mere catching them is no 
Barbarity. Besides God seems to have carv'd out the Globe on pur- 
pose for a universal Supply : In Seas, near Shores, are Banks and 

Beds made for them ; to furnish the Lands adjacent 

and Lands which lye remote, are more divided into Lakes and Ponds, 
Brooks and Rivers ; and he has implanted in several Sorts of Fish, a 
strong Instinct [or Inclination] to swim up these Rivers a vast Dis- 
tance from the Sea. And is it not remarkable, that Rivers most in- 



INOFFENSIVE TO GOD. 13 

cumbered with Falls, are ever more full of Fish than others. Why 
are they directed here ? Why retarded by these difficult Passages ? 
But to supply the Islands ? Does forming and disposing of these 
Things argue nothing? 

Since the Flood the Earth is more Barren, and Vegetables afford 

not a sufficient Support for Mankind So that if the Lives of all 

these are of less Consequence, nay, are freely given by him whose 
they are, they may be taken and used as Food : If they may be taken, 
any may make a Business of taking them for the Supply of others. 

But if this be innocent as Business, some may still scruple it as 
Diversion. 

And why not all Diversion with as good Reason ? The grave and 
judicious Mr. Perkins says,* " We are allowed to use the Creatures 
" of God, not only for our Necessity, but for meet and convenient De- 
" light. This is a confessed Truth. And therefore to them who shall 
" condemn fit and convenient Recreation (as some of the ancient 
Fathers have done, by name Chrysostom and Ambrose) it may be said, 
" be not too righteous, be not too wise, Eccl. vii, 16." But if we con- 
sider, that the End of Business and Diversion are the same, we shall 
clearly conceive the Truth. The End of both are Refreshment and 
Support of Man in the Service of God. If I may eat them for Re- 
freshment, I may as well catch them, if this recreate and refresh me. 
It's as lawful to delight the Eye, as the Palate. All Pleasure arises 
from the Suitableness and Agreeableness between the perceptive Fac- 
ulties, and the objects that affect them : And our bountiful Maker, 
as he has given the animal Life many perceptive Faculties, the Senses 
of Seeing, Hearing, Tasting, &c, so he has provided suitable Objects 
for all these Faculties, and does allow us to gratify ourselves therewith. 

When the Body has been long wearied with Labour, or the Mind 
weakened with Devotion, it's requisite to give them Ease ; then the 
use of innocent and moderate Pleasures and Recreations is both use- 
ful and necessary, to Soul and Body ; it enlivens Nature, recruits our 
Spirits, and renders us more able to fet about serious Business and 
Employment. For to intermix no Gratifications, nor Diversions with 
our more serious affairs, makes the Mind unactive, dull and useless.f 

* See his Works, Vol. 2, p. 140. 

f Cito rumpes arcum si tensum habueris. 
At si laxaris, cum voles, eris utilis, 
Sic lusus Animo debet aliquando dari, 
Ad cogitandum melior, ut redeat tibi. 

Study and ease 

Together mixt ; Sweet Recreation, 
And Innocence, which most does please, 
with Meditation. 



14 BUSINESS AND DIVERSION 

* " It proceeds either from Pride, ill Nature or Hypocrisy, when 
11 People censure and are offended at the Liberties which others 
" use in thus relaxing their Minds. Sloth and Idleness we have 
already inveigh'd against, and condemn'd, but those who give sea- 
sonable Hours for their Devotions and know how to dispatch the 
proper Business of Life well and seasonably enough, and still aim 
chiefly at the Glory of God, need be under no Apprehensions of the 
divine Wrath and Displeasure on the Score of their Diversions. For 
this is good and comely, Eccl. v. 18. And indeed, the Comforts and 
Enjoyments of this Life, which we receive from the bountiful Hand of 
God, is a great Subject of our Praise and Thanksgiving to God, .... 
that the lines are fallen to us in pleasant Places, .... our heads anointed, 
our Cup running over. The Streams lead us up to the Fountain and 
Spring-Head. Our Diversion, if rightly used, not only fits us for, but 
leads us to Devotion ; and the Creature brings us to Christ. Thus in 
the Context, the Disciples go a Fishing, and Christ manifests himself 
to them Not only countenances them, by succeeding their De- 
sign ; but excites and draws out their Affections to him, so much that 
Simon could not wait till the Vessel came to Shore, bnt leapt into the 
Lake, and swam swift ashore, to greet and converse with his dearest 
Lord. 

That I may not be tedious, I will only lead in your Reflec- 
tions a Word or two. 

Religion is the highest reason, and Christianity perfectly suited to 
Man in his present State. And as the venerable Judge Hale says,t 
" Religion is best in its Simplicity and Purity, but difficult to be re- 
" tain'd so, without Superstitions and Accessions ; and those do com- 
" monly in Time stifle and choak the Simplicity of Religion, unless 
" much Care and Circumspection be used : The Contemporations 
" are so many and so cumbersome, that Religion looseth its Nature, 
" or is strangled by them : Just like a Man that hath some excellent 
" simple Cordial or Spirit, and puts Musk in it to make it smell 
" sweet, and Honey to make it taste pleasant, and it may be Can- 
f ' tharides to make it look glorious. Indeed by the Infusions he hath 
" given it a very fine Taste, Smell, and Colour, but yet he hath so 

* The Pharisees were of this Temper 'and frequently censure 
and condemn Christ for his Recreations, b:th for the Mat- 
ter and Manner. The Son of Man came eating and drinkitig, 
and they say, behold a ma?i gluttonous and a wine-bibber, a Priend 
of Publicans and Sinners. Math, n, 19. Luke 7, 34, &c. and 
Chap. 15. 2. But all extreams are bad, one leads to another; 
those who in this Case Strain at a Gnat, in another will gen- 
erally Swallow a Camel. 

t Contemplations, last Part, p. 254. 



INOFFENSIVE TO GOD. 15 

" clogg'd it, and sophisticated it with Superaddition, that it may be it 
" hath altered the Nature, and destroy'd the Vertue of it." Some so 
muffle up Christianity, and make it look so melancholy, sickly and 
sowr, that inconsiderate People are apt to dread its Command, as they 
would the Tyranny of Sallee-Men. But 

What prodigious Injustice is hereby done to the most sacred and 
excellent Cause in the World? 

Such zealous, weak, mistaken Men can't easily be perswaded 
of the Dissimilitude there is between their Opinion and Practice, and 
the Doctrine and Behaviour of Christ and his Apostles. It were 
worthy of their diligent Application, to make a critical Attempt of 
running the Parralel. And they would certainly find their own Lives 
awkward and disjointed ; and their Notions, in this Part, maim'd and 
defective, and bloated and swelPd in that. They would find likewise, 
that they have given themselves and others a great deal of unnecessary 
Fatigue and Perplexity : Wearying themselves and tormenting others, 
by making those Things Duties which God never requir'd, and forbid- 
ing those Things which God never prohibited : Perplexing them- 
selves and all around them with infinite Doubts and Fears, without 
any Foundation : Leading Men into the most loosing Labyrinths, 
for which there can be no Clue found, but in the Tracts of their own 
maz'd Brain. 

Therefore, How needful is it that we be well acquainted with the 
Scriptures, inform'd in the Religion of Jesus, conform'd to the Exam- 
ple of Christ and his Apostles ? There we shall see the Nature and 

Design of Christianity To bring Glory to God in the highest, 

Peace and Good-will to Men. That God's Glory and his Good 

his Duty and Interest . . . Piety and Pleasure, can never be sundered. 
He will find that in order to an Action's being term'd really relig- 
ious, the Principle from which, and the End for which it was done, are 
much more to be considered, than whether it commonly fall under the 
Denomination of Devotion, Business, or Diversion ; for they are all at 
one Time or other our Duty : And the doing our Duty from a good 
Principle and for a right End, must be term'd religious acting. Eat- 
ing and Drinking are natural and sensible Actions, but when we eat 
and drink to the Glory of God, they are to be considered religious, 
I Cor. v. 31. and that not only when Men eat and drink the meanest 
for Quality, and the least for Quantity that can support them in the 
service of God and Society \ and when they have a rich and plentiful 
collation : As at Cana of Galilee, they had a Plenty of rich Wines 
miraculously provided by Christ himself, who made one of the Com- 
pany at this chearful Entertainment. This was at a Wedding, which 
is not every Day. " No Man should make Sports his Business, nor 
" Pastimes his Employment, no more than Cordials his Drink, or 
" Sauces his Meat." This destroys the very Notion of Diversion. 



16 BUSINESS AND DIVERSION. 

Says Mr. Lock, " Some may be said never to divert themselves, they 
can't turn aside from Business, for they never do any." To every Thing 
theie is a Season, Eccl, iii. i . . . 4. 

Should we not always in every Enterprize wish for the Preference 
and Blessing of Christ ? Methinks those who love and adore the 
blessed Jesus, should desire to see him every where, and in every 
Thing ! who calls for our Devotion and allows our Diverson ! who pro- 
cured Peace and Pleasure for wretched sinful Men ! Don't I owe a 
graUful Sense of the Grace and Favor of my Benefactor, in the Enjoy- 
ment of every Blessing ? This gives a Gust to every Enjoyment, our 

tasting the Sweetness of Christ in them We consider him as 

Mediator of the Covenant of Grace, and when we see every Thing 
convey'd from God to us by him, then we have a real Relish for 

them There is no suitable solid Satisfaction in any temporal 

Good, but as the Gift of God thro' Christ. This every good Man, in 

a good Frame finds and feels " Business and Diversions, 

" Cities and Palaces, with their various Ornaments ; Fields and 
" Groves ; Spring, Summer, and Autumn, with all their flowery 
" Beauties and tasteful Blessings, are some of the Delights of the 
" Sons of Men. Books and Learning, and polite Company, and re- 
" fin'd Science, are the more elegant Joys of ingenious Spirits : These 
" are enticing Gratifications of the Senses or the Mind of Man ; they 
" are innocent in themselves, they may be sanctified to divine Pur- 
" poses, and afford double Satisfaction if God be among them : But 
" if God be absent, if he hide his Face or frown upon the Soul, not 
" Palaces, nor Groves, nor Fields, nor Business, nor Diversion, nor 
" all the flowery or tasteful Blessings of Spring or Summer, nor the 
" more refin'd Joys of Books and Learning, and elegant Company; 
" not all the rich Provision of Nature and Art, can entertain and re- 

(l fresh, can satisfy or please the Soul of a Christian 

" when smitten with the Love of God. 

To conclude, Let us ever remember that we and all we have, is 
God's, and that we are accountable to him for our Improvement of all, 
and depend on Christ for our Acceptance with him in all. 

AMEN. 



Ye happy Fields, unknown to Noise and Strife, 
The kind Rewarders of Industrious Life ; 
Ye shady Wood where once I us'd to rove, 
To think for Men, and praise the God above ; 
Ye murmuring Streams that in Meanders roll, 
The sweet Composers of the pensive Soul, 
Farewell. . . . The City calls me from your Bowers ; 
Farewell amusing Tho'ts and peaceful Hours. 



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